


Gates of Winter

by Northern_Lady



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Short One Shot, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 18:14:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11583537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Lady/pseuds/Northern_Lady
Summary: A short one shot about another battle for Winterfell when the Lannister's intend to make the Starks swear fealty to Queen Cersei.





	Gates of Winter

It had finally happened just as Sansa had long feared. The Lannister army had breached the gates of Winterfell. Jon had promised to protect her but Sansa had known even then that his promise was an impossibility. Now that the Lannisters had arrived, Jon wasn’t even here. He was off at Storm’s End meeting with Daenerys Targaryen. He hadn’t taken Sansa’s warnings about Cersei seriously and had left her in charge with only half the army to protect the castle. Sansa knew very little about military matters but when her scouts told her than the Lannister men had been seen cutting trees she knew that meant they were not in for a long siege. The Lannisters wouldn’t wait to starve them out. Not when Jon was most likely on his way back home again with the rest of his army. No, they would build a battering ram and trebuchets and take the castle as quickly as they could. Take the castle quickly, they did. 

Sansa watched from the parapets as the archers fired down on the men below and failed to break through their shield wall. She knew it by the sound of their battle cry, the moment that the gates of Winterfell splintered open. The Lannister army flooded into the courtyard and the Northmen lay down their arms. Then she saw him, riding on a white horse, red cloak, golden hand, Jaime Lannister was entering through the gate, Sansa turned to Tormund Giantsbane who had not left her side these past three days. 

“Kill me,” she told him simply and firmly. 

Tormund tore his gaze from the scene below. “I promised Jon I would keep you safe…” Tormund had sent his own people ahead of him to the Wall and had stayed behind until Jon returned. He taken his promise to Jon very seriously and guarded Sansa with his life. 

“It’s too late for that. They’ve breached the castle. Kill me before Jaime Lannister brings me back to his sister. I can’t be his prisoner. I won’t.” Sansa said, keeping the fear from her voice. 

“Maybe this Lannister cunt will leave you be if bow and swear the oaths they want you to swear,” Tormund suggested, clearly not wanting to kill her. 

“I won’t bow to him. That’s all I did in King’s Landing. I bowed and said my family were traitors and that I had traitor’s blood. Never again. If you won’t kill me then let me have that dagger?” Sansa said, indicating the dagger in the wildling’s belt. 

Tormund looked down at himself and passed her the dagger. She took it in her right hand a gripped it tightly. Jaime Lannister was on his way up the stairs and had nearly reached them. Tormund moved in front of Sansa and raised his ax. Jaime stopped a good distance from the big wildling. 

“My lady Stark?” he called out to her. “Do I need to kill your pet wildling or will you yield the castle and spare his life?” 

“If she yields the castle, what are you going to do to her?” Tormund asked, not backing down. 

“She’ll be permitted to stay here at Winterfell. Lannister troops will occupy the castle for a time,” Jaime explained. “Sansa, no one will hurt you here. You’ll keep your home as long as your brother doesn’t interfere when he returns.” 

“You mean I’ll be a hostage? I’ll be a prisoner here and that will be what forces Jon to swear fealty to Cersei?” Sansa asked, already knowing the answer. “I’ll not be a prisoner again. I’ll not be the reason that Jon loses the north. ” Sansa raised the dagger and cut deeply into her left wrist. 

Jaime looked horrified. He took a step closer as if he meant to stop her, to save her. Tormund raised his ax and blocked the way. Angry, Jaime drew his sword and swung it at the larger man. Sansa felt the warm blood draining from her body. Her strength was leaving her quickly. She was only dimly aware of the fight in front of her. 

“Why are you fighting me?” She heard Jaime shout as steel clashed against steel “Why aren’t you saving her?” 

“I am saving her!” Tormund said. 

Sansa felt her body growing cold. It was cold like winter, just like the Stark words. Winter is coming. Winter had finally come with all it’s cold and bitterness, and most of all, it came with a peaceful silence.


End file.
